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There are many Gods and Goddesses within Wicca; it just depends on which path of Wicca you have chosen to follow. And there are many different branches to the Wiccan tree, as there are in other religions.

Some Wiccans have the Roman Gods and Goddesses as their deities, some the Greek Gods and Goddesses and others the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Some worship Norse Gods and Goddesses, whilst others follow the Celtic tradition. The majority of Wiccans are Eclectic though; believing all ancient Gods and Goddesses are one and the same but with different names from different civilizations.

In Gardnerian teaching there is only one God and one Goddess, the God of the Sun and the Moon Goddess. This God is horned and is the God of the wild hunt and the keeper of everything wild, including animals, forests, woods, plants and trees. Usually named Cernunnos, he is part human and part stag with the antlers of a buck. In different traditions he may be called Pan who is part human and part goat with the horns of a ram. The Goddess is a triple Goddess; maiden, mother and crone. She gave birth to all things including the God who is her consort and helps sustain life on earth. In spring the triple Goddess is the maiden, young and fertile. In summer and early autumn she is the mother and in late autumn and winter she changes to the crone. Her cycle begins again at the turning of the wheel in spring, when she reverts to maiden once more.

You should choose what feels right to you. If you have more of an affinity towards Egyptian Gods and Goddesses that is fine, but if you feel closer to the deities of ancient Greece then that is fine too. The Gods and Goddesses you choose to follow are up to you. When you have chosen those you feel closest to, learn all you can about them. There are many books written on the ancient Pagan Gods and Goddesses and there are numerous excellent websites too.

The Gods and Goddesses may be worshipped and/or asked to help in your spell workings or seasonal rituals. If you were to do a fertility spell then you would call upon the fertility Goddess of your particular path or choosing. If you were doing a love spell then you would chose a God or Goddess of love to help you depending upon the pantheon you have chosen.

We make offerings to Gods and Goddesses to show our love and gratitude to them. They give us so much we like to give a little back to them, and this is especially important when we ask for anything during spell work. Remember everything is about balance; if you are bestowed with a gift after you have asked for it in spell work you should give something back to keep the balance. The offerings are something to honour the God you chose to work with whilst doing the spell work; for example, if it was the Goddess Persephone, the Greek Goddess of Spring, then we would give her flowers. We don’t only offer gifts to the Gods if they help us though; we also give them gifts on our altars on special days such as a Sabbat or an Esbat as an offering of gratitude.

Wiccans have a very close relationship with the Gods. They are not some almighty powerful entity in the sky that will smite you if they are not happy with you. They are more like our allies, our friends. The Gods and Goddesses created humans and love us, and they want us to succeed and be happy, but they also like to be worshipped and acknowledged as it gives them strength. They have flaws just like we do; they did make us in their own image after all. They can be tricksters or generous, jealous or loving, and they can look favourably on you or at times ignore you. Our Gods and Goddesses are ancient and have been looking down over humanity since the beginning of time. Respect them, make a relationship with them, know them and love them. We honour the Gods with our actions. In everything we do we honour a certain God. If you do something brave or help someone you are honouring the Norse God Odin. If you do something artistic or poetic you are honouring the Greek God Apollo.

In magic we call upon the Gods and the Goddesses to help us with spell work and rituals. Below is a list of the Gods and Goddesses most associated with Wicca. I cannot write a full list of every God and Goddess in every pantheon as there are hundreds. Nor can I write a full list of every power of the Gods I’ve selected below because some have so many powers it’s impossible to cover them all. Below are listed the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse and Celtic Gods and Goddesses with a brief introduction only. These will give you a taste of each pantheon and help you choose which may feel right for you. But you should certainly research your chosen pantheon more fully.

Greek & Roman Gods and Goddesses

Most of the Greek Gods were also worshipped in Ancient Rome. Even though the names were changed they are ultimately the same Gods. Below I usually refer to Greek Gods for the sake of brevity, rather than any personal preference. If both names are mentioned then it is the Greek name that is mentioned first.

In the beginning, there was only chaos and nothing - but out of this nothingness came light. Gaia, the earth, Erebus, the underworld, and Night emerged from the mixing of chaos and light, and Gaia gave birth to Uranus, the heavens, who then became her mate, and Oceanus, the oceans. Gaia and Uranus together produced twelve Titans, three Cyclopes, and three hundred-handed giants, or Hecatoncheires, but Uranus feared his children as a threat to his throne, and bade Gaia take them back into her womb.

Gaia loved her children however, and hated Uranus’ tyranny. She supplied her youngest child, Cronus, with a sickle, and told him to kill his father with it. He cut off Uranus’ genitals, and these fell into the sea and from them were created Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and the Fates, the Giants, and the Meliai nymphs. Cronus succeeded Uranus on the throne and married his sister Rhea. He freed the Titans and shared his kingdom among them, but imprisoned the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires in Tartarus, a fiery pit much like Hell.

Cronus

Cronus was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own son, Zeus and imprisoned in Tartarus. The Greeks considered him a cruel and tempestuous force of chaos and disorder, but the Romans believed him to be a more positive God.

Rhea / Cybele

In early traditions, Rhea is known as the Mother of Gods and therefore is strongly associated with Gaia, the earth. She gave birth to six children, but their father Cronus ate the first five. And so she hid the sixth, Zeus, in a cave in Crete. Zeus later forced his father to disgorge his siblings, and so back out came Hestia, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon and Hera. Rhea is often associated with the Roman Goddess Cybele.

Zeus / Jupiter

Zeus is the King of Gods, the head God of Mount Olympus. He has been weakened over the centuries as his power comes from being worshipped and with the introduction of many other religions he is not worshipped as much these days. Zeus is God of the Skies too. He sees to it that the good are rewarded and the bad punished.

Hera / Juno

Hera is the Goddess of the Sky, mostly the sky at night. She is also Goddess of Marriage, which includes revenge on people cheating in relationships. As the wife of Zeus she loved him very much, but Zeus had many affairs and his mistresses paid a heavy price at the hands of Goddess Hera, especially Leto, Semele and Alkmene, whom she played out a series of nasty revenges on.

Poseidon / Neptune

Poseidon, the brother of Zeus, is the God of Seas and Oceans. Later named Neptune by the Romans he had many lovers of both sexes. Poseidon created islands and offered calm seas, though his anger could cause earthquakes, drownings and shipwrecks. Not surprisingly, sailors prayed to him for a safe voyage.

Hades / Pluto

Hades is the Brother of Poseidon and Zeus. God of the Underworld, he drew lots with his brothers to decide on the parts of the earth they would rule over. Present at funerals to take the dead to the underworld, he abducted and married Zeus’s daughter Persephone. Hades is also a God of Wealth because of the rich nutrients in the soil and the mines in which precious metals and diamonds are found.

Apollo

Apollo, son of the great God Zeus, is God of the Sun, and of Music, Art and Poetry. He is also God of Light, Truth and Healing. The rays of the Sun were Apollo’s arrows, fired at humanity to provide inspiration, life and healing. He was named Apollo by both Greek and Romans.

Artemis / Diana

Artemis and Diana are Goddesses of the Hunt and are often depicted with a bow and arrow. It is said the crescent moon is their bow. Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and a Moon Goddess, was later worshipped in ancient Rome as Diana. Artemis is also the Goddess of Childbirth and is said to assist women in labour. Diana and Artemis are fiercely independent. Both are virgins and will give their love to no man or God. Artemis, a skilful hunter, killed Orion when he tried to make advances towards her. She also killed Adonis for spreading word he was a better hunter than her.

Athena / Minerva

Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, Mathematics, Science and Law and Justice, as well as many other things. She did not have a mother but was born straight from Zeus’s brain. One of the most powerful of all Greek Gods and Goddesses, she competed with Poseidon to become Patron of Athens, the capital city of one of the greatest civilisations ever, and we can tell by the name of the city that she won. She is also the patron Goddess of teachers, intellect and clarity.

Aphrodite / Venus

Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love, the Goddess of Beauty, Pleasure and Procreation. She was born from the foam of the sea, is eternally young and beautiful, with charms that make her irresistible to anyone. She had affairs with many different Gods, including Ares and Adonis. Her son is Eros / Cupid, the God of Love.

Ares / Mars

Ares is the Greek God of War, the God of Courage and Fearlessness. If you need to call upon strength then call upon Ares; he loved fighting so much he was often said to have come down from the sky and joined in great battles, sending many men to Hades, which Hades was grateful for.

Hermes / Mercury

Hermes, son of Zeus, guides the dead to the underworld but is also messenger of the Gods, journeying from one God to the next at lightning speed. As he is a trickster and very cunning he is also the God of Thieves, whilst later he became the God of Shepherds.

Pan / Faunus

Pan, half goat and half man, burgeoning with sexuality and often depicted with an erect penis, is the God of the Wild, and of Forests and Shepherds. Likened to the Celtic God Cernunnos, he can also be seen playing a flute and is a God of Fertility.

Hestia / Vesta

Hestia is the sister of Zeus and Goddess of the Home and Family. She is known as the virgin Goddess, for when both Apollo and Poseidon asked for her hand in marriage she refused and told Zeus she wanted to remain a virgin for eternity so she could look after all families on earth.

Demeter / Ceres

Demeter is the Goddess of Agriculture and Farming. Sister of Zeus and daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she keeps the land fertile. Her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades and forced to marry him. Helped by Artemis, Demeter searched everywhere for Persephone, eventually being told by the Sun God Apollo that her daughter had been abducted by Hades with Zeus’s permission. As revenge she stopped all crops and flowers from growing. The land became barren. God’s creations were slowly being destroyed. Zeus had little option but to grant permission for Persephone to be freed from the underworld. And yet, even though Persephone had been forced to marry Hades she had grown to love him too. She was granted freedom from the underworld because it was the only way to save the earth. A compromise was subsequently agreed, with her spending half the year on earth and half in the underworld.

Dionysus / Bacchus

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Selene, the only mortal to have been made a God after Zeus had an affair with her. Selene knew Zeus was a God but she didn’t know which one as it was simply his divine presence she loved. Hera, Zeus’s wife, found out, disguised herself and went to see Selene. She told Selene that she needed to see the God she was in love with and only then could make her a Goddess. Zeus agreed to this and showed himself after they made love, but Selene was burnt to a crisp by the light of him. Zeus stitched Dionysus to his thigh and took him to the heavens where he was born, and because he was born of Zeus he became a God. Granted the title and power of God of Wine and of the Grape Harvest, Dionysus, perhaps understandably given the story surrounding his birth, is an unpredictable God. He can bring joy and ecstasy but can also be full of rage and violence.

Persephone / Proserpina

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring and Flowers and also of the Underworld. Homer describes her as the formidable, venerable majestic Queen of the Underworld, who carries into effect the curses of men upon the souls of the dead. One day, while out tending flowers, she was abducted by Hades, taken to the underworld and forced to marry him. Having fallen in love with him, she agreed to spend half her time on earth, because it was the only way her mother Demeter would allow crops and flowers to grow once more.

Aradia

Although strictly not a Roman Goddess, Aradia should be mentioned as she was said to be the daughter of the Roman Goddess Diana, and was sent down to earth as a messiah to set slaves free and teach witchcraft. When she had taught all she could she ascended back up into the heavens. To many witches Aradia is the divine Goddess of Witchcraft, as is her mother Diana. “Go to earth below / To be a teacher unto women and men / Who fain would study witchcraft,” said Diana to her messiah daughter Aradia, according to ‘The Gospel of the Witches’ by Charles Leland, a text translated from the 14^th century. Aradia then said unto the Coven, “Ye shall all be freed from slavery / And so ye shall be free in everything.”

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Egyptians believed that at the beginning of time there was only blackness and chaos. The first God was Atum-Ra who sneezed and gave birth to Shu, the God of Water, and Tefnut, Goddess of the Air. Tefnut and Shu bore children, Nut the Goddess of Sky and Geb, God of the Earth. Shu and Tefnut went walking one day and became lost. Fearing something awful had happened to them Atum-Ra sent his all seeing eye to go and find them. His tears of joy then turned into humans.

Ra

Ra was the first God of the Sun, and of the Earth and Underworld. He sailed across the skies in his boat called Barque of Million Years. He died every day but left enough light to keep the Moon Goddess alive when he was in the underworld. He then sailed back to rise again every morning. Ra, who fought his worst enemy every day, a snake called Apep, was the greatest of all the Gods but could be cruel and unjust because when his power was so strong the sun was too hot for people to live and for crops to grow. At times rain dried before even reaching the ground. The loving Goddess Isis despaired seeing mankind suffer so she used magic to make a snake which she made from saliva from Ra and clay from the earth. She hid the snake where she knew Ra was going. When the snake bit Ra he screamed in agony which caused massive earthquakes on earth. Isis, as Goddess of Healing, told him she would be able to stop his pain but only if he spoke his real name to her, for Isis knew Ra’s powers came from his secret name. Ra was in so much pain he had little option. And so, when he revealed his real name, Isis was able to claim the same powers that Ra had, making her an equal ruler. She then forced Ra to shine less brightly and eventually, because he was an aging God, he gave rule of the Sun to Horus and retired as a sky God to watch over mankind.

Isis

Isis, the first daughter of Geb and Nut, is the Goddess of Fertility, Mothers, Love and the Moon. She loves the people of earth and is said to walk among them to teach agriculture and crafting as well as showing women how to tame men enough to live with them. Isis became the most powerful Goddess by tricking Ra to stop him doing harm to mankind. She married her brother Osiris and made him God of all Earth. Osiris ruled with love and compassion, but the other brother Set was jealous and had Osiris killed so he could take his place as the lover of Isis and the Earth God. Isis, desperate with grief, ripped up her clothes and tore out her hair. She searched earth and eventually discovered Osiris’s body hidden in a fragrant tree and carried it home. But Set was furious and ordered his brother’s body chopped into fourteen segments and thrown in every direction, hoping they would be eaten by crocodiles. Isis then searched with the help of seven scorpions that protected her. She put Osiris’s body back together as she found each piece, though she couldn’t find his penis so fashioned one from gold and wax. Then, helped by Anubis and inventing mummification and embalming, she brought Osiris back to life and conceived a child with him named Horus. Now that Osiris had given Isis a child she allowed him to descend into the underworld. Horus became God of the Sun and Isis once again became a Moon Goddess.

Horus

Horus, son of Isis and Osiris, is the God of the Sun and Sky. He is the God of Protection and Magic too, and was God of all Pharaohs of Egypt. He has the head of a falcon and the body of man. In revenge for his father’s murder by his Uncle Set, Horus ascended to be the Sun God and attacked him. Set gauged out Horus’s eye but his mother Isis gave him a magical replacement that could see evil at all times. Set knew he could not win this battle though, so the two came to a truce with Horus ruling over day and Set ruling at night. This gave us the term Sun Set. The Eye of Horus is a magical symbol that can protect you against ill-will and evil.

Hathor

Hathor is the Goddess of Joy, Love and Motherhood. She is the wife of Horus and Goddess of the Sun. Hathor was one of the most beloved Goddesses in Ancient Egypt and was said to be mother to the pharaohs.

Bast

Bast is the Goddess of Cats, which were held in very high regard in Ancient Egypt. She is depicted with the head of a cat or lioness and is a protection Goddess as well as holder of the Eye of Horus and a sworn protector of the Sun Gods. Because of her protection status her statues can be placed in areas of the household where you feel the need to be protected.

Anubis

Anubis, God of the Dead, helped Isis embalm and mummify Osiris and lead him into the underworld after he finally died. He has the head of a jackal and the body of man and lies in wait for you in the ‘Hall of the Dead’ where he weighs your heart against the Goddess Ma’at’s feather. Ma’at is the Goddess of justice and if your heart is lighter than her feather then you will live forever in the afterlife. But if your heart weighs more than the feather, it is eaten by a demon called Ammit which has the head of a crocodile, the body of a lion and the bottom quarters of a hippopotamus. Thoth the God of Words and Wisdom records everything that happens here.

Ma’at

Ma’at is the Goddess of Honour, Justice, Truth and Wisdom. She is the wife of Thoth and together they help Anubis in the underworld. Ma’at’s feather is an ostrich feather which is used to weigh your heart before you are allowed into the underworld.

Thoth

Thoth, the God of Wisdom, invented writing and the hieroglyphs. Depicted with the head of an Ibis bird, he is a recorder of knowledge, recording every star that is born and dies and every human that is born and dies. There is said to be a ‘Book of Thoth’, containing two spells. If you read the first spell aloud you will understand every animal on earth and control all life of the sea. If you read aloud the second spell you will have the power to bring people back from the dead.

Tawaret

Tawaret is the Goddess of Childbirth and protects women in labour. She is depicted with the head of a hippopotamus, arms and legs of a lion, the back and tail of a crocodile and the breast and stomach of a pregnant woman. People wear her as an amulet to protect them when pregnant and to protect their children from harm.

Norse Gods and Goddesses

In the beginning there was nothing but a dark void, much like in Egyptian and Greek creation theory. The first being was Ymir the Giant, the first of a race of Frost Giants. Ymir fathered a six-headed son who suckled on a cow (the cosmos) called Audumla that fed by licking rhinestone until it was eventually shaped to the form of a man. This man was called Buri and was the first of the Gods. Buri then gave birth to Bor who married a Giant called Bestla and they gave birth to Gods such as Odin, Vili and Ve.

The Norse Gods can be separated into two different groups; the Aesir who are the main Gods and are protectors and war-like, and the Vanir, lesser peace loving Gods.

The world in which the Norse Gods live is called Yggdrasil, a giant tree (the universe) that is split into nine worlds. The first level is Asgard, home of the Aesir Gods. The second level is Vanaheim, home of the Vanir Gods. The third level is Alfheim, home of elves. The home of humans is Midgard (Middle Earth), situated on the fourth level. Midgard is connected to Asgard by a rainbow bridge made from frost. The fifth Level is Jotunheim where the ice giants live. The sixth is Svartalfheim, home of the dark elves. The seventh is Nidavellir, home of the dwarfs, and the eighth is Niflheim, home of the dead. The final level, the ninth, is Muspelheim, and this is the home of fire giants and demons.

Odin

Odin, or Woden as he is sometimes called in Anglo Saxon, is the king of all Gods, the wisest and most powerful of all Gods. Drinking from Mimir’s fountain ensured he attained all the knowledge of the universe, but the giant Mimir made him sacrifice an eye first before drinking. First and foremost a war God, Odin lives in and is king of Asgard. As Valfather, he also lives in Valhalla, where the most fearsome warriors go after death in battle. Odin, who often visits Midgard (earth) dressed as an old vagrant, is also a fantastic witch and invented runes, a magically charged set of symbols and the alphabet of the Germanic peoples. He sacrificed himself and hung upside down from the Yggdrasil tree for nine days without food or water, and while there came up with the runes and gave them to the people for spelling and magic. Along with Freya he’s considered the greatest practitioner of Shamanism amongst Gods.

Frigg

Frigg is the Goddess of Love, Marriage and Fertility and is Odin’s wife, making her a major Goddess of the Aesir. She has sacred knowledge of the destiny of every living being and is said to weave the fate of them all. This is related to the Norse concept of Wyrd, where patterns of the past influence the patterns of the future.

Loki

Loki is the Norse God of Mischief and Strife. He is the half-brother of Odin but is a giant and so a sworn enemy of his half-brother and all the Aesir Gods. Loki started out as a friend to them but often took the giants side in disagreements and so was cast out. Loki can transform into anything and often did to cause distress to the Gods. He once transformed himself into an old hag and tricked Frigg into telling him that the only thing that could kill her son Baldur was mistletoe. He then went to a celebration where Baldur was showing off his strength by allowing people to throw spears at him. Tricking Baldur’s blind brother Hod (the God of Dark and Night) he helped guide Hod’s spear to Baldur and in doing so used the mistletoe branch to kill him instantly. This, and the murder of Frigg, Odin’s wife, meant he and Odin became mortal enemies.

Thor

Thor is the God of Thunder and War and protector of Midgard (earth) and Asgard (heavens). The son of Odin, he is the strongest of the Norse Gods, uses a hammer (moilnir) as his weapon and wears a belt that increases his strength.

Freya

Freya is a Love Goddess of Sex and Promiscuity with a name that translates as Lady. Initially a Goddess of the Vanir, she became an honorary Goddess of the Aesir. Freya is one of the main Goddesses in Wicca as she is also a Goddess of Magic and Divination. She wears a necklace called Brisingamen, forged by dwarves, which makes her irresistible to anyone she wants. Her husband was turned into a horrific sea creature by the Gods and as vengeance she swore to kill all the Norse Gods. After learning magic she set about killing them, but the Gods loved her spirit and made her a Goddess, then gave her husband a place in Valhalla even though he did not die a hero. Freya is called upon for guidance and to help with magic. She is also associated with the faerie realms, and as Goddess is entitled to half the souls that die in battle and go to Valhalla, as she guides them after death.

Hel

Hel, a giantess, is the daughter of Loki and Goddess of the Underworld (Helheim). Half her face is beautiful and half is terribly ugly, whilst the top half of her body is beautiful and the bottom half is dead and rotten. To some this symbolises the light and dark in all of us. But Hel is often a vengeful and hateful Goddess, having been sent by Odin to the underworld for being the ugly daughter of Loki. She is extremely protective of the dead and guards Helheim with great care. Those wishing to receive wisdom or information from the dead, or find loved ones, may find they do not always pass her judgement.

Tyr

Tyr is a War God like Odin and Thor, though he only has one hand as it was bitten off by the wolf Fenrir, son of Loki. When Fenrir was captured he refused to be bound by the Gods unless someone put their hand in his mouth as a symbol of good faith. Tyr was the only God brave enough to do this and his hand was bitten off. He was then renowned by the Gods for his bravery and became a God of Intelligence and Council, as well as Justice and Law.

Baldur

Baldur was the first son of Odin and is God of the Sun and Beauty. Pure, innocent and a great warrior, he was loved by both Gods and man. He had a dream that he was going to be killed and so his mother Frigg insisted everything on earth, sea and sky vow not to hurt him. Everything agreed except mistletoe and when Loki found out about this he tricked Baldur’s blind brother Hod into killing him.

In the future, according to Norse legend, there will be a great battle, called Ragnarok, between all the Gods and Goddesses. The nine worlds will be destroyed and the universe devoured. Odin and Loki will fight to the death. Baldur and Hod will then be resurrected and rule the new world in Odin’s place.

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

In the beginning there was nothing but the sea, and then a piece of land appeared and when the sea met the land and made froth a white mare was born, made of sea-foam and called Eiocha. On the land a tree grew, born of Eiocha. By eating its berries Eiocha became pregnant and gave birth to the God Cernunnos. While in childbirth Eiocha grabbed at the tree, ripped off some of the bark and threw it into the sea, and this bark turned into the giants of the deep.

Cernunnos watched the giants as they played together, mated and started families. Soon he grew jealous and wanted a family of his own, so he and Eiocha mated and gave birth to the Gods Maponos, Tauranis, and Teutates, as well as the Goddess Epona. After the new Gods had grown Eiocha became disenchanted by the land and wanted to return to the water, so she transformed into Tethra, Goddess of the Sea.

When the Gods of the land became bored, with no subjects to rule over or worship them, they created man from the wood of trees. Cernunnos made wild animals and became their watcher and protector. Teutates created weapons and gave them to man to hunt. Maponos created music and gave man and animals a voice. Tauranis created lightning and thunder and would often throw them to the ground in a thunderous roar so the people and animals would flee in fear.

The giants of the sea saw these Gods being worshipped and loved by their creations and became jealous, so they came together to overthrow the land Gods. Their plan was to flood the land, kill the Gods underwater and take over. Tethra (Eiocha) heard their plans and went onto land to warn her children. And so the Gods were ready for the sea giants when they flooded the lands. They climbed to the top of the oak tree where the water did not reach. Tauranis created lightning like never seen before and aimed them at the sea giants. Maponos sang so loud it broke the sky, which he then hurled at the sea giants causing great asteroids. Teutates took deadly aim with his bow and arrow. This war broke the land into segments. Earth split and the water drained into great seas between the lands. Epona rescued one man, one woman and many animals from the great flood and took them to the safety of Cernunnos Forest, where they mated and created a new race. This new race was the Gods of the Tuatha de Danaan, the first race on earth.

Cernunnos

Cernunnos, also known as Cerne or Herne, is half man, half stag and a consort of the Goddess. God of the Wild Hunt, he rules over all that is wild such as forests, trees, wild animals, flora and fauna. A horned God, he makes love to and marries the Moon Goddess who then gives birth to all things wild in spring and summer. Cernunnos dies and retreats to the underworld and is born again on the winter solstice with the rebirth of the sun.

Angus

Angus is a Scottish God of Love and Beauty. His music is bewitching and draws lovers together, while his kisses are said to turn into singing birds.

Archianrhod

Archianrhod is the Welsh Goddess of the Silver Wheel, a Moon Goddess, the Goddess of Knowledge, Wisdom and Connectedness, especially birth, death and rebirth. She is said to welcome good people to her paradise land of the dead.

Belenos / Bel

Bel is the Celtic Sun God likened to Apollo by the Romans. Shrines for Bel were erected all over England and especially in Cornwall. Bel is the God of Light, Health and Healing, the God who is celebrated on the Sabbat of Beltane, where huge bonfires are made in his honour. The meaning of Beltane roughly translates to ‘The fire of the God Bel’.

Lugh

Lugh is a Celtic Sun God, celebrated on the Sabbat of Lughnasadh. He is the Hero God and has been likened to the God Pan.

Beli

Beli is the Sun Goddess. As the female aspect of the sun she mostly represents the healing aspect of the sun’s rays and is seen as the more nurturing aspect of the sun.

Brighid

Brighid, also known as Bridie and Brigid, is the Goddess of Poetry, Healing and Crafts. A triple Goddess, she is a crone in autumn and winter, a maiden in spring and a mother in summer. Her breath is said to be the warm air which wakes the flowers in the spring. A fire Goddess usually depicted with flaming red hair, she is celebrated on the Sabbat of Imbolc in February. Worshippers make a four pointed wheel called a Brighid’s Cross to honour her.

Ceridwen

Ceridwen is a Goddess of Corn and Grain, a spring Goddess but unlike Brighid a Goddess of late spring. Ceridwen is a great magician and can shape shift. She transformed herself into a hen and by eating a grain of corn gave birth to Taliesen the great poet and bard. Ceridwen is also a mother Goddess and a Goddess of Inspiration and Magic.

Dagda

Dagda is the father God. Ruler of life and death, he carries a magic club that with one strike can kill nine men, but with a handle that can bring anyone back to life. Also known as ‘The Dagda’ he keeps the seasons in order by playing a magic harp. Father of Brighid and a high king of the Tuatha de Danaan, he is said to mate with Goddess Morrigan on the sabbat Samhain.

Danu

Also known as Ani and Aine, Danu is the mother Goddess of the Tuatha de Danaan, which literally translates to ‘Children of Danu.’ She was said to have birthed all things into being, including the universe and all the Gods, and is believed to be everywhere in every living organism. She is also seen as an Earth Goddess who inspires and loves music and creativity.

Morrigan

Morrigan is the Goddess of Death, War, Fate and Fertility. She was a high Goddess to the Tuatha de Danaan, was consort to The Dagda and weaves fate, much like Frigg the Norse Goddess. She is associated with death and can give warriors super strength in battle and, appearing as a raven or crow with a cloak of black wings, she announces the death of fallen warriors. She was said to have been seen by a lake or river as a beautiful woman washing the bloodied clothes of the soldiers who would die in battle. Morrigan is a symbol of female empowerment, with the fate of every person in her hands.

A Reference Guide to Gods and Goddesses

Roman Gods and Goddesses

Apollo - God of the Sun

Bacchus - God of Wine

Ceres - The Earth Goddess

Cupid - God of Love

Diana - Goddess of the Moon and Hunting

Flora - Goddess of Flowers

Janus - God of Doors

Juno - Queen of the Gods

Jupiter - King of the Gods

Maia - Goddess of Growth

Mars - God of War

Mercury - Messenger of the Gods

Minerva - Goddess of Wisdom

Neptune - God of the Sea

Pluto - God of Death

Plutus - God of Wealth

Proserpine - Goddess of the Underworld and Spring

Saturn - God of Time

Uranus and Gaia - Parents of Saturn

Venus - Goddess of Love

Vesta - Goddess of the Home

Vulcan - The Smith God

Greek Gods and Goddesses

Aphrodite - Goddess of Love

Apollo - God of Music and Medicine

Ares - God of War

Artemis - Goddess of the Hunt

Athena - Goddess of Wisdom

Demeter - Goddess of the Harvest

Dionysus - God of Wine

Eros - God of Love

Gaia - Goddess of Earth

Hades - God of the Underworld

Hephaistos - God of Smithing

Hera - Goddess of Marriage

Hermes - Messenger of the Gods

Persephone - Goddess of Underworld and of Spring

Poseidon - God of the Sea

Zeus - King of Gods

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Ammu - Devoured those souls judged unworthy of the Afterlife

Amun - Creator God, later coupled with Ra to make the God Amun Ra

Anqet - Goddess of Water and Lust

Anubis - God of the Dead and Embalming

Atum - Creator God later became Ra-Atum, he represented the evening Sun

Bast - Goddess of the Home, Protection and Children. Cat Goddess

Bes - God of Music, Dance, War and Slaughter

Duamutef - God of Disease

Geb - God of the Earth and guide to heaven

Hapi - Nile God

Hathor - Goddess of Love, Happiness, Dance and Music; Protector of Women

Horus - God of the Sun and Magic

Isis - Goddess of the Moon, Love, Fertility and Magic

Khensu - God of the Moon

Ma’at - Goddess of Knowledge, Law, Order and Truth

Min - God of Fertility in Men

Mut - Goddess of the Earth

Neith - Goddess of War

Nut - Goddess of the Skies

Osiris - God of Earth and Vegetation

Ptah - God of Crafts

Ra - God of the Sun and Sky

Satet - Goddess of the Nile

Sekhmet - Goddess of War and Destruction

Selket - Goddess of Scorpions and Magic

Seshat - Goddess of Writing and Measurement

Set - God of the Night Sky

Shu - God of Space and the Universe

Tawaret - Goddess of Pregnancy and Childbirth

Tefnut - Goddess of Rain, Water and Sky

Thoth - God of Wisdom and Learning

Norse Gods and Goddesses

Aegir - God of the Sea

Alaisiagae - Goddess of War

Balder - God of Light, Strength and Beauty

Eir - Goddess of Healing with Herbs

Elli - Crone Goddess of Old Age

Forseti - God of Justice

Freya - Goddess of Fertility, Sex and the Moon

Frey - God of Sun and Rain, Peace and War, and the Harvest

Frigg - Goddess of Love, Fertility, Marriage and Motherhood

Gefion - Goddess of Vegetation and Fertility

Gerd - Goddess of the Earth

Gullveig - Goddess of Sorcery, Prophecy and Healing

Heimdall - God of Light and Guardian of the Rainbow Bridge

Hel - Goddess of Death and the Underworld

Hermod - Messenger God

Hodr - God of Winter and Darkness

Hoenu - God of Silence

Iduna - Goddess of Eternal Youth

Jord - Goddess of the Earth

Loki - Norse trickster God

Nanna - Goddess of the New Moon and Fertility

Nerthus - Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic and Spells

Njord - God of the Winds, Sea, Fire, and Wealth

Odin - King of the Norse Gods

Ran - Goddess of Storms and Water

Saga - Goddess of Memory

Sif - Goddess of Corn

Sjofna - Goddess of Love

Skadi - Goddess of Winter and Hunting

Thor - God of Thunder and War

Uller - God of Hunting and Glory also a God of Winter

Var - Goddess of Agreements

Vidar - God of Vengeance

Weland - God of Smiths and Metalworkers

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Aine - Goddess associated with the Summer Solstice, Goddess of Crops and Cattle

Aerten - Goddess of Fate, presided over the outcome of war between several Celtic clans

Aife - Goddess of Protection and Teaching

Airmid - Goddess of Medicine

Angus - God of Beauty and Love

Anu - Goddess of Fertility, Love and Protection

Arawn - God of the Underworld, Vengeance and Reincarnation

Arianrhod - Goddess of the Silver wheel, Fortune Telling and Fate

Baile - God of Speech, Intelligence and Mental Activity

Ban - Goddess of Childbirth

Bel – God of Fire, the Sun and Success

Belisama - Goddess of Light and Fire, the Sun and Crafting

Blodeuwedd - Goddess of Flowers

Breasal - God of Protection, especially for those travelling

Bran - God of Prophecies

Brid - Goddess of Fire, Imagination and Crafting

Caer Ibormeith - Goddess of Sleep and Dreams

Caillech - Goddess of Curses, Disease and Plague

Cebhfhionn – Goddess of Knowledge.

Cernunnos - God of Animals, everything Wild and Woodlands

Cerridwen - Goddess of death and Regeneration

Creiddylad - Goddess of Strength of Will

Coventina - Goddess of Divination

Cred - Faery Queen Goddess

Cromm Cruaich - God of Death and contacting the dead

The Dagda - God of Death and Rebirth

Diancecht - God of Healing

Damara - Goddess of Fertility.

Danu (also Dana) - Goddess of Magic

Eadon - Goddess of Poetry and Creativity

Queen of Elphame - Goddess of Death

Epona - Goddess of Horses

Eri of the Golden Hair - Goddess of the Moon

Flidais - Goddess of Forests and Wild Creatures

Goibniu - God of Smithing

Grainne - Goddess of Herbs

Gwydion - God of Enchantment and Magic

Lassair - Goddess of Midsummer

Latis - Goddess of Water and Beer

LeFay - Goddess of the Sea and Healing

Llyr - God of the Sea and Water

Macha - Goddess of Female Power

Manannan - God of the Seas, of Storms and Weather at Sea

Morrigan - shapeshifting Goddess of War, Magic and Death

Rosmerta - Goddess of Healing

Scathach - Goddess of Prophecy, Protection, and Teaching

Somhlth - God of Men and Male Prowess

Taliesin - God of Magic and Knowledge

White Lady - Goddess of Death, Destruction and Annihilation

“To see the world in a grain of sand,

and to see heaven in a wild flower,

hold infinity in the palm of your hands,

and eternity in an hour”

William Blake